"According to Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette and 93.7 The Fan, Vokoun told his teammates to stop playing dumb hockey. Stop making silly plays with the puck, play simple, and everything will fall into place."

meow wrote:If they have to have their back-up goalie light a fire under the team, they gots problems.

Why? It shows they respect TV and are willing to take what he says seriously. They needed someone to light a fire under them. I'm sure you get tired of any head coach yelling at you after about 5 games. When a teammate goes off on you, it's a different story. Kudos to Vokoun if true. That's what leadership is. That's what veterans are for.

Since Vokoun's pep talk prior to the 2nd period against the Flyers on March 7th, the Pens have been impressive at both ends of the ice.Since then, the Pens(6-0 including comeback win against the Flyers) have given up 8 goals in 345 minutes for a 1.39 GAA and have been scoring 4.00 G/G(not counting Sid's shootout winner against Tor).-UPDATED

It's a nice story, but I think it's pretty naive to think that the dramatic shift in play we've seen is the result of a speech from Vokoun. This change in direction is from DB. I missed today's game, but prior to that, the difference in style has been night and day. It's inconceivable this is what DB's been preaching all along and the players just weren't listening.

Desiato wrote:It's a nice story, but I think it's pretty naive to think that the dramatic shift in play we've seen is the result of a speech from Vokoun. This change in direction is from DB. I missed today's game, but prior to that, the difference in style has been night and day. It's inconceivable this is what DB's been preaching all along and the players just weren't listening.

This man disagrees If you look long enough, you'll see the Vokoun effect is real

Desiato wrote:It's a nice story, but I think it's pretty naive to think that the dramatic shift in play we've seen is the result of a speech from Vokoun. This change in direction is from DB. I missed today's game, but prior to that, the difference in style has been night and day. It's inconceivable this is what DB's been preaching all along and the players just weren't listening.

Inconceivable? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. - Inigo Montoya

Players tune out coaches all the time and sometimes it takes a different voice to bring them back to earth. I hope it's true because it means that this team can play the type of hockey that wins a Stanley Cup and only needs some tweaks rather than a shakeup.

Desiato wrote:It's a nice story, but I think it's pretty naive to think that the dramatic shift in play we've seen is the result of a speech from Vokoun. This change in direction is from DB. I missed today's game, but prior to that, the difference in style has been night and day. It's inconceivable this is what DB's been preaching all along and the players just weren't listening.

Inconceivable? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. - Inigo Montoya

Players tune out coaches all the time and sometimes it takes a different voice to bring them back to earth. I hope it's true because it means that this team can play the type of hockey that wins a Stanley Cup and only needs some tweaks rather than a shakeup.

Of course, but not to that degree. Players, at least on this team, don't just play a completely different system on their own for weeks. If they have been, without serious repercussions, the team is in worse shape than even the harshest critics here have imagined.

I say the latest Philly game (the 2nd & 3rd periods to be exact) was the turning point of the season. The Pens went from taking stupid penalties and playing run and gun in the first, to playing disciplined Penguins hockey in the 2nd and third. From that moment on, the Pens have not looked back. So if Vokoun did speak up during the first intermission, he gets an ata guy from me!

Desiato wrote:It's a nice story, but I think it's pretty naive to think that the dramatic shift in play we've seen is the result of a speech from Vokoun. This change in direction is from DB. I missed today's game, but prior to that, the difference in style has been night and day. It's inconceivable this is what DB's been preaching all along and the players just weren't listening.

Inconceivable? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. - Inigo Montoya

Players tune out coaches all the time and sometimes it takes a different voice to bring them back to earth. I hope it's true because it means that this team can play the type of hockey that wins a Stanley Cup and only needs some tweaks rather than a shakeup.

Of course, but not to that degree. Players, at least on this team, don't just play a completely different system on their own for weeks. If they have been, without serious repercussions, the team is in worse shape than even the harshest critics here have imagined.

Believe what you want to, but I'm giving credit where it's due: DB.

Having a good "Dutch Uncle" talk work doesn't mean that Bylsma isn't a good coach or that he didn't play an important part in the turnaround. After all, getting back to his style of play is the turn in this case. Catalysts only work if the other ingredients are in place and DB and RS have done that. I just wouldn't discount a new voice from a veteran who also elevated his play as being "the straw that stirs the drink" as one of the old NHL video game announcers used to say.